In 1916, the United States Congress enacted a law making available
$85,000,000.00 of Federal Government moneys for co-operation with the
several States in the construction and improvement of roads. Of this
amount, $75,000,000.00 is appropriated for co-operation on "Post Roads,"
roads over which either rural or star post routes are operated, and
$10,000,000.00 is appropriated for co-operation on "Forest Roads," roads
within or partly within National Forests.
During the five year period prior to July 1, 1921, there will become
available to the State of Oregon from the Government Funds set aside by
this Act the following amounts:
===============================+================+================
| For | For
| Post Roads | Forest Roads
-------------------------------+----------------+----------------
July 1, 1916, to July 1, 1917 |$ 78,687.00 | $ 127,794.00
July 1, 1917, to July 1, 1918 | 157,375.00 | 127,794.00
July 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919 | 236,062.00 | 127,794.00
July 1, 1919, to July 1, 1920 | 314,749.00 | 127 794.00
July 1, 1920, to July 1, 1921 | 393,437.00 | 127,794.00
+----------------+----------------
Totals |$ 1,180,310.00 | $ 638,970.00
-------------------------------+----------------+----------------
Total amount of government funds apportioned to the State of Oregon for
co-operative work. $1,819,280.00.
With the funds thus apportioned to the State, the Government will
co-operate on approved road projects to not to exceed fifty per cent of
their cost. Therefore, the State, or the State co-operating with the
Counties, must provide amounts at least equal to the amounts set aside
by the Federal Government in order to avail itself of the funds
apportioned to it.
In 1917, the State Legislature passed a bill accepting the terms of the
Federal Government's co-operative offer and authorizing the issue of
bonds to the amount of $1,819,280.00 to provide the funds necessary to
match the Government funds. There is thus available for expenditure on
post and forest roads in the State during the five years prior to July
1, 1921, the following amounts:
For Post Road Projects:
Federal Government Funds $1,180,310.00
State Funds 1,180,310.00
-------------- $2,360,620.00
For Forest Road Projects:
Federal Government Funds $ 638,970.00
State Funds 638,970.00
-------------- 1,277,940.00
--------------
Total $3,638,560.00
For Post Road Projects the plans are prepared, contracts let and work
supervised by the State Highway Department, subject, of course, to
approval and acceptance by the Secretary of Agriculture through the
Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering. For Forest Road
Projects, the plans are prepared, contracts let and work supervised by
the Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering acting for the
Secretary of Agriculture. The State Highway Department is, therefore,
directly responsible for the work done on Post Road Projects, whereas on
Forest Road Projects the responsibility rests with the Office of Public
Roads and Rural Engineering, the State Highway Department simply
approving the projects and auditing the claims presented by the Federal
Government against the State's share of the funds.
It is the policy of the Highway Department to match the Government Funds
with equal amounts from State Funds only, any County Funds which may be
available being used to increase the total amounts available rather than
to reduce the amount of State co-operation. On projects approved to
November 30, 1918, the amount of these additional funds provided by
counties is approximately $325,000.00.